Goddess returning
by Chloe Benson
Summary: Kate Winters is returning as the Queen of the Underworld from her first six months after passing the tests, and she arrives in the midst of a prewar that Calliope is waging against the council. Henry is prepared to protect her from everything, including his most privet feelings, and heart who he is not sure belongs to Kate, his decision will make him chose between past and future.
1. Chapter 1

**okay, so this is one of three projects I've been working on. The other two are rain and an outside writing project that I'm working to finish and hopefully someday publish. **

** So, after reading and rereading the fanfic the twelfth girl I was like, I need to write the other book from Henry's point of view because let's face it, all of us want to he in his head during the other books. I then went and started writing this, and I hope that it turns out good because I would probably die of embarrassment if I screwed this up. Lol, so just comment and follow, because there are going to be a ton of updates in the future! At least, I hope there will be.**

** While I'm working on this, rain will still be written. I'm almost done with rain so, this should move a little faster when that's done. Anyway, happy reading! (:**

There are two emotions that a god should never feel. One was fear, the other was the twisting and turning one gets in their stomach when they are nervous. I felt both, and that was infuriating.

I had paced the grand entrance to Eden manor for half an hour, the flight would have landed three hours ago, the drive would take the remanding three hours, maybe less if James was driving, but I doubted James would drive back here, even if, _even if,_ Kate wanted him to. Yet here they were half an hour late, and here I was, pacing like a child.

What if she didn't come back? It wasn't like I left Kate on the best note. Sure I'd wished her the best, sure I done the thing with Casey, but she didn't know about the second thing, and she might not know that James had caught me following them once. What if she was just doing this for Diana? What if she didn't want to see me anymore, like Persephone had? One summer away and then everything fell apart. Sure everything had fallen apart from the beginning-

"She's coming back Henry, she won't leave you here."

I turned to see Ava standing in the foyer, with her hands clasped in front of her. The entire spring and summer she had come to the Underworld and told me the same thing. By now the idea had been ingrained in my mind and although I went to sleep every night and repeated it, I still couldn't understand why I felt so helpless with this whole thing.

She gave me a prize winning smile and then said, "besides I doubt she could stay away forever. Not like-"

She stops when she sees that I'm glaring at her. Persephone was a subject that will always leave a sour taste in my mouth, and although Kate was sweet and wonderful and _everything_ I could have wanted with Persephone and more, her sister was like a brand in my mind and heart, something I could never remove no matter how much I loved Kate or for that matter, how much she wanted me to love her.

Ava frowns and then says, "don't you dare let your train of thought go there. If you don't give yourself to Kate like you did before she left, then guess what?" I sigh and she nods then continued, "yes, you will lose her, she will leave just like you-know-who. Kate's not the kind of girl to sit on her behind and wait for you to come get her. She won't wait for eternity Henry."

"She might have to, and as her friend you need to help her understand that!" I shout at her. Ava looked taken back and then her lips drew in a tight line and as she brought herself up to her full height she said, "you're giving up on her already? She hasn't even arrived and you're assuming everything bad! Love's not all bad Henry. I don't give a flying crud about Persephone, no one does, only you. Kate sacrificed everything for you, you could at least sacrifice a little too!"

Her last comment took me by surprise. She nodded, seeing that she had won the argument and then turned on her heel and began to walk away. Her heels clicked on the ground until she was gone, and Diana came up behind her in the doorway.

Diana watched her walk away and then sighing pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She gave me a tired smile and then said, "she's just frustrated that Kate's not here yet."

I nod silently and Diana sits on the edge of the steps, she smiles at me and says, "and I can tell she's not the only one."

I narrow my eyes and look away, how could I tell her that her second daughter was perfect, but not perfect enough? Her smile fell slowly and then she said, "don't tell me, Henry, please don't tell me you're doing this now."  
>She seemed to be pleading and as much as I wanted to tell her the truth I put on a small smile and said, "no, I'm just, worried. Worried about why she's not here yet."<p>

"I'm sure they just hit traffic-"

"Were in the middle of no where."

"Then maybe they got lost-"

"James can not get lost.

She sighed exasperated and said, "now you're being jealous," she rose from the steps and put a hand softly on my shoulder. She gave a me a small smile and said, "Ava is sure nothing happened while they were in Greece."

"Ava is also her friend and would protect her at all costs."

Diana narrowed her eyes and then whispered, "you are going to question her now? Hasn't she proven herself enough to you Henry?"

I sigh and then shrug off her hand, everyone had been saying the same thing, but I couldn't trust James. Every part of my mind and heart told me to keep Kate away from him, to protect her from him, but I couldn't do that without restricting her, and that was exactly the mistake I had made with Persephone. A set of running feet pounds the floor and when I look towards the door, Phillip is standing there, his eyes narrowed and his hair wild from running. I step away from Diana and ask carefully, "what, what is it?"

Phillip takes a deep breath and then with a gruff voice replies, "calliope."

My heard stops and my body goes numb. Calliope, my sister, traitor, and the murder of the woman I was not so sure I loved yet. Diana seemed to freeze and then whispered, "what about her?"

"She's, she's left Ingrid's afterlife and we can't find her. But, Henry, the gates are-"

My glare silences him and I hiss through my teeth, "she wouldn't have, she may be upset, but she is not stupid."

"We are expecting the worst." Philip replied as he looked at the floor. I clenched my fists and say, "then we must go to-"

"Kate's here. She's here!" Ava shrieked as she ran towards us. Her face was alight and her hair was a mess for the first time in her life. Diana's eyes widen and she says, "oh, oh no."

Ava smiles at me and says, "I told you," pauses when she sees that none of us are pleased with the fact she has just shared, then says, "what?"

"Calliope has escaped and is missing," I say as I glance out the windows to see the car that is pulling up the road to the gates. Ava follows my eyes and then says, "and your going to make sure she's locked up tight, instead of making sure Kate's okay."

She glares at me softly and Diana looks at me as well. Philip glances out the window and watched the James get out to open the gates. I follow his eyes and watch James get back in the car, it looks like he's saying something to her. I swallow heavily and then say, "keep Kate busy, don't let her know what is going on."

I brush past Ava who watches me with wide eyes, she grabs my arm and says, "and what do I tell her if she asks about you?"

I tense and look out the window to see the car stop in front of the manor, through the windshield I can see Kate and James arguing. For a moment I pause when I see her. She looks the same as she did when she walked down the steps and left six months ago. For a moment I stand frozen, unsure of if I really want to leave, or if I should stay and greet Kate. She practically kicks open the door and struggles to get out, only for James to reach across an unbuckle her. The movement makes me remember everything and I pull my arm from Ava's grasp then say, "tell her that she will see me soon. That I'm busy; I don't know, just make sure she doesn't find out about Calliope or the gates."

I nod to Philip who nods as well and disappears. Diana sighs and taking Ava's hand vanishes as well. I glance over my shoulder out the window and see James and Kate walking up the stairs. She's saying something and he's rolling his eyes. I swallow heavily and then I envision the gates to Tartarus, and hope that I'm making the right choice in not being there when she arrives.


	2. Chapter 2

The Underworld has never been considered a cheery place, but the rumors about it were not all true. Yes it was cold, but only in certain places, no it was not burning with fire everywhere, I actually detested fire; and it most certainly was not Hell, be whatever mortals think about it, the Underworld is not Hell, it is my home, and I know it better than anyone on the Council, spare James, and apparently my sister Calliope. The Underworld itself was built around the souls, they dictated what directions it pointed, how far it stretched, and many more of the variables that make up the maze. My family had always struggled with this concept, for me though it is like a puzzle to get lost in, a Rubic's cube if you wish. James brought one of those down here once and when he left it, I _might_ have taken it upon myself to try it. It frustrated me to no end and finally I gave up and put it away in a drawer swearing never to try again.

Now though, I appeared before the Gates of Tartarus and waited patiently for my brothers to arrive. Standing in a small grassy forest I could almost feel Ingrid near. She was worried, but underneath that there was a stubborn determination to know what was going on and why Calliope had just up and left earlier. It brought a sad smile to my face to think about Ingrid, even sadder was to think of the ten girls that had followed her. I didn't bother to think about the twelfth, she was here now surely and according to Ava hissing in the back of my mind, she wasn't happy. As I heard this, I froze in fear, Kate was upset to be here? That nagging voice in the back of my mind that had been whispering ever since Diana had gone off to raise her child whispered that it would turn out just like Persephone. Kate would hate the Underworld, and then she would leave me one day, and as if matters could not be worse, the voice whispered that she would probably leave with James. It had felt like a punch to the gut when James had run after her and then waited by the gates of Eden manor to take her out on her first summer away. He had been all smiles then and was probably now, maybe even triumphant. James was not one to shove things in my face, but he did gloat, and when he did it was often obvious as to what he was gloating about.

Phillip landed near me and grumbled as he brushed dirt off his jacket, apparently he had landed in the wrong place first and then had to appear here. Walter stepped out from a little farther away and glanced around like a fox scanning the bushes for a hunting dog. He laid his eyes on me and then whispered, "What is the problem now?"

Walter in a small way was furious with me for not deterring Calliope further when she had gone after me seeking comfort. I looked away quickly and murmured, "The gates, they feel-"

"Oh! You're all here now!"

I flip around and standing there with a smug smile is Calliope, her hands clasped in glee in front of her and her eyes alight with a new kind of malice. I stand to my full height and then say, "Calliope, stop this, now."

She laughs and then shaking her finger at me like a parent correcting a small child she said, "Your little _wife_ never said anything about me talking to other members of my family."

I set my jaw tightly and then calling on every once of patients I have I say, "Calliope, please. What you are aiming for is not going to help you."

Her smile falls and is replaced with a sneer as she says, "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

With obvious effort Walter stands taller next to me and says, "Step away from the Gates Calliope."

She laughs, her sneer replaced with a maniac smile as she says, "You especially can't tell me what to do."

I take a step towards her and she takes an involuntary step back as she says, "Henry, all you have to do to stop this is-"

"No! Calliope either you step away from the Gates, or I will forcibly move you." I hiss the word at her and she flinches as if I spit poison on her. She stands up to he full height and then with a little laugh that sounds like small bells chiming, she smiles at me and says, "Then you have signed you have signed Kate's death."

That broke something.

When I was first on the Earth I was wandering around and saw a dam break. It had been a small thing, but the humans had scattered in terror and the water had washed away everything. Before it had broken though someone had been tapping away at it with a hammer until the pressure had built and it had shattered out like glass. Calliope had been tapping away at my patients for thousands of years, and the past year had been enough to break my dam. I narrowed my eyes at her and raised my hand whispered, "Then you have brought this on yourself."

Her eyes widen in terror and she shouts, "Father!"

I laugh softly and whisper, "he never helped any of us sister, what makes you think now will be any different?"

Before I can do anything though, a tendril of golden light snaps out from the gates and hits me straight across the chest like a whip. I cry out in pain as I'm thrown backwards and into the dirt. I hit the ground and the wind is knocked out of my body. I groan in agony and Calliope laughs in triumph. When I look up Walter and Phillip are backing away slowly and I sneer at the pain and my stupidity.

Softly, I can almost feel something brush against my cheek, like breath, like someone breathing softly out. My eyes widen and I slip into the closest thing I have to a vision. Standing in front of me, barely even a outline is Kate. Her eyes a wide in terror and I realize with a pang of agony, that she is terrified of me.

Then she is gone, like a ghost vanishing in a wisp of smoke, and I find myself back in front of the Gates. Phillip is pulling me to my feet but I stumble and then I feel it, that sticky, slick feeling on my chest. I grab at my shirt and glance down to see the large blood stain stretching from my shoulder to my stomach. I press my arm to it in terror and then choke, "Theo, we need to get back and get Theo."

Philip nods and then stabilizes me as I take a stumbling step foreword. When I look up again Walter is standing in front of the Gates and Calliope is gone. So is Cronus. But that doesn't mean anything. He could be anywhere now, wandering around the Underworld, breaking through on the surface, anywhere. He was breaking out, and we were not prepared, we are not ready, never have been ready for this. We had defeated our father in the hope that we would never see him again, but our sister had gone about and destroyed all we had built and she had doomed us all.

With a soft voice Philips whispers, "Walter, we must go. Henry is hurt."

Walter glances over, his mind obviously occupied elsewhere, before saying, "Yes of course. I will be there shortly."

I supress a snort, my brother may have been King of the Skies and the unspoken King of the Gods, but this was my realm, which I ruled. He had walked over me the entire time at Eden Manor. Now though, I was in charge and it was difficult not to pull the upper hand in this situation.

"Walter, there is nothing we can do. The gates will not open unless I want them to. Now we must get back and inform the council of this advancement." My words draw his attention and with a tight nod he vanishes on the spot. Philip sighs and then pulls me along with him back towards my home.

I appear on my own in the bedroom and sit weakly on the edge of the bed. From what I can hear, there are two people whispering in the closet, both female, one definitely Ava. Then there is a little squeak of what sounds like surprise and she's standing in the doorway. Her brown hair falling casually down her back, and her blue eyes filled with nervous excitement. Kate. She didn't look much different but I can tell that something has changed in her, be it she's aged or something. Maybe it's just the fact that she is an immortal now, I'm not to sure though.

I suppress the shaking in my hands and try to offer her a smile, but her smile falls as she looks down at the blood that has soaked through my shirt.


	3. Chapter 3

A few emotions passed across Kate's face in a few moments. Fear, horror, shock, those were only to name a few. She seemed to start and then she moved towards me quickly crying out, "Henry!"

Her voice was so soft, yet terrified as she hovered by my side her fingers above the wound as she eyed it in horror. "What happened?"

She reached softly with her fingers and I watched as they gently pulled the collar of my shirt away for her to observe the damage further. I winced as the shirt pulled on the skin and made a little more blood come to the surface. As gentle as she was, Kate was not really helping at the moment. From behind Kate in the doorway to the closet Ava's voice squeaked, "I'll-I'll go get Theo," then she dashed from the room, Kate's little puppy Pogo bouncing along behind her. With a pang of regret I realized that I had neglected the poor thing the whole time Kate had been away, but Ava had picked up the slack apparently. When I looked back at Kate she was wincing slightly as her fingers hovered above the gash. I sighed and then whispered, "it's nothing."

She must not have believed me because she looked at me in the way that only Kate can. With that furrowed brow, so much like Diana's, and those full lips pouting slightly. With a frown she reached down and stated to unbutton my shirt. Shock washed over me and I almost pulled away but she held me steady with her gaze and peeled the fabric away a softly as she could.

Her eyes widened in horror and for a moment she looked sick before she whispered, "that doesn't look like nothing."

She glanced back up at me and ordered, "lie down."

I opened my mouth to protest but she narrowed her eyes and in that moment I realized why she would be a good queen. Kate might not have known it right then, but she looked incredibly regal, especially ordering a god around. She gave me a stern look that rivaled that of Diana's and I caved as I laid down on the comforter. The soft fabric pressed up against my neck and Kate continued to hover, her mouth moving softly as she tried to figure out what she could possibly do to help. After a moment she whispered, "how did this happen? I thought gods weren't supposed to get injured like this."

I smiled at her slightly as I smelled her perfume. It's fragrance was very flower like and it suited her very well. "Normally we are not." She frowned and then i continued, "you look well, Kate. How was your summer?"

It was such a small talk comment that I almost winced. Of course her summer had been good, she had been with James, in Greece, perhaps one of the most beautiful cities on earth, and I was not thinking with bias at all. She frowned and sarcastically replied, "compared to how my autumn's going so far? Fantastic," she pauses and I get a good look at her, her eyes were beautiful, and her skin was golden. She continues on as if she doesn't notice how I'm practically watching her like a dying man looks at water. "Can't I do something? You're getting blood all over the sheets."

She probably didn't mean for it to be offensive, Kate was many things but she was not materialistic in the slightest. I sighed and still replied, "my apologies. I will make sure to clean it up before tonight," she opens her mouth to say something but I continue, "Theo will be here shortly, and-" the door opened I smiled as I said, "ah, there you are."

She whirled around and I got another strong whiff of her perfume. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of it, savoring the flowery fragrance. When I open my eyes Kate is watching Theo approach and I watch as Ava slinks in behind him.  
>Theo, always business, says, "where are the others?"<p>

Kate stepped out of the way and I almost reached out to grab her hand and feel her skin, but she moves out of the way for Theo. I sigh softly and decide that later, I will talk with her and maybe steal myself a few second of touching her arm or hand. "They are coming," I whisper as Theo lays his hands on the wound. For a moment I relax, the pain would be momentary, then I could stop favoring the injury. I decide in the end to lie until the council meeting when everything can be decided, "they insisted that I go ahead."

Theo frowns and I can see his brow furrow as he focuses all his energy on fixing the wound at his hands. "Are they injured?" His eyes look into mine looking for a moment as he tries to read what else he might be called to do. I shake my head, both in a no and to tell him not right now. He nods and I say, "the attack was mostly focused on me." It wasn't a lie, that was good. Kate watched Theo anxiously for any sign that what he was doing was helping. Slowly but gradually I felt the heat between Theo's hands and my chest. It burned as it gained momentum and I closed my eyes and focused on the blackness there, trying not to tighten up. I could feel the skin closing, not in a gruesome way, more like a relieving way.

"There," Theo says after a few seconds, he pulled his hands away and all I felt was a dull ache in my shoulder. He wipes his hands slowly and says, "I would recommend taking it easy this afternoon in case there's any damage I didn't catch."

"There isn't." I reply quickly as I sit up. I pull my shirt towards me and wince inwardly at how damp it is. I bled more than I thought. I set it aside again and then looking at Theo I thank him. He takes the hint and turns quickly, wasting no time walking out the door. I look at Ava and excuse her quietly. She glared at me and then nods in my direction I have a feelings it's something for Kate to catch and she does, since she shakes her head and Ava huffs quietly in my head,

_ talk to her. Make sure you talk to her._

I sigh inwardly and ignore it. Kate took a seat on the edge of the bed and I rose quickly to get another shirt. Pogo leaps up into her lap and she softly runs her fingers through his fur. We're silent as I fold my shirt and moved away from the bed. She sticks her hands between her knees and it's obvious she's waiting for me to speak, to say anything to her. I contemplate saying something foolish like asking if she likes it down here, what she thinks, but I decide in the end that might not be a good question to ask yet. I settle for small talk again, "are you excited for the ceremony this evening?"

She gapes openly at me and I curse inwardly, I could never do anything right with her or her sister. She narrows her eyes and then says, "we haven't seen each other in six months, you're covered in blood, and that's what you want to talk about?"

I shrug, trying to appear as calm as I was pretending to be. She had no idea the effect she had over me, the desperate desire that I had to please her. "It is as good a topic as any."

"No," she digs her nails into her jeans and glares at me, "it's really not. Why don't we start off with you telling me how you managed to get hurt so badly when you're supposed to be immortal?"

I ignored her question for the time being and moved towards my closet. I could almost feel Kate climbing up the walls trying to figure out everything. I smiled slightly at the idea and pulled out another shirt. It was the same as every other shirt I had, no change. I preferred it that way. I held it tightly in my hand and then walked into the wash room. Taking a deep breath and hoping Kate didn't follow me I went to clean the blood off myself.

"I'll help you." She follows me quickly and I don't try to stop her. It would be impossible to after all. She grabbed a washcloth before I could and she wet it quickly. She looks surprised that there's water and I almost laugh at her surprise.

"I didn't expect the Underworld to have plumbing." She mutters as she wets the cloth. I smile softly and reply, "Ava can be very convincing at times."

She gingerly wipes away the blood and I look down at her softly as she avoids the scar. I don't remember ever doing anything like this with her sister. Let along being in such close contact like this, but Kate's different from her sister. She was the first person I've known that was willing to stand in such close contact and clean the blood off of my wound like I mattered to her. Then again, Ava said she really did care about me.  
>She looks up at me and blushes profusely before saying, "what? Do I have something on my face?"<p>

"No," a lot of thoughts went through my head at that moment, don't leave me, I love you, to name a few, but none of them came out, a problem of mine that I really needed to work on. "You asked me how I got this. There was a problem I had to take care of, and while there are few things that can hurt my family, they are out there."

She frowns up at me and whispers, "like what?" She turns and washes the blood off the cloth and we both watch it swirl down the drain before I reply softly, "nothing you ought to be concerned about."

She glares at the wash cloth like it might solve her problem, and I know the problem is that I don't speak with her about everything, but I don't want to tell her about this. Kate already has enough to worry about.

She glares at me and then says, "really? That's all you're going to tell me? You promised you'd never lie to me."

Why did she always think I was lying? Didn't she see that I was just trying to keep her blissfully ignorant in this whole thing? "I'm not lying-"

"You said you'd never keep secrets from me anymore," she continued to glare at me, apparently I'd given her ammo in this argument. "So which is it? Are you going to treat me like a fragile little girl you need to protect at all cost, or are you going to treat me like your partner? Because in a few hours, I'm going to be Queen of this place, and I'm never going to be able to help you rule properly if you always hold everything in. I have a right to know."

She had no idea how good of a queen she would be if she continued to speak like that. To demand where it was needed and command correctly. As much as I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, Kate was not the kind of person to sit patiently and wait to be saved. She wanted action, to solve the problem quickly and easily. That was where we would argue the most and I already knew that. Her safety and what she was doing when I wasn't watching her would be a large bridge we had to cross, of course we were not there yet, but it was coming very close.

She apparently wasn't pleased with my silence because she eventually sighs and whispers, "does this have to do with calliope?"

I tense immediately, damn it, how did she know? James must have said something, he must have, maybe Diana said something. "How much did your mother tell you?"

She looks at me in surprise and I know then that Diana never said a word, damn this, how did she find out!

"Nothing," she proceeded cautiously, until she swallows heavily and then says quickly, "I had a vision, I guess. I don't know what to call it. When James brought me down here, I suddenly saw you and Walter and Phillip fighting-something. I don't know what it was, but you we're in front of this gate, and calliope showed up behind you and told you that it was pointless, because he was already awake."

As soon as she's finished speaking the silence comes again. I was right then, she had been in front of me, it had been a vision. She could have visions like Persephone, which meant hiding things from her could be difficult soon, that is, unless she couldn't control them yet. Based off of her story, she didn't even know she could do them, that or how it even happened. After the silence continued she picked up the cloth again and as she went to finish wiping the blood away I decided to speak, "so this is your gift, then. I had wondered."

Of course I'd wondered, I'd wondered every day that she was gone what she would return with. I was just glad that it was happening now, when I was here, and not James.

"Gift?" Her voice is soft on the word, almost like she's not sure what to exactly do with it. I look down at her carefully and say, "along with immortality comes certain talents,"of course no one had mentioned this to her, and now she was going to be furious that I hadn't said anything, "it varies form individual to individual, and oftentimes it coincides with what we represent. For instance, healing is not Theo's only talent. As the god of music and poetry, he also has perfect pitch."

The last comment at least pulled a smile to her face, although small, it gave me hope that there were somethings I could do right with her.

"I'm sure that comes in handy all the time." She replies as she wipes at the blood delicately. With a slight smile myself I answer, "it does make the entertainment at family get-togethers more bearable."

She frowns slightly, she always makes that face when she's thinking deeply and trying to make connections to things. Her lips pull down just slightly and her brows almost knit together. When she was frustrated her lips puckered just the slightest bit, although she may not have known it, I knew her better than I let on.

"Why can I see things that are happening in other places?" She begins her lips puckering in annoyance as she says, "what's the use in that? Is that supposed to make me better at deciding peoples fates?"

I look down at her in mock amusement, but she's not looking at me which is the usual, and then I reply, "yes, and it will have other uses, as well. Once you are crowned, you will begin to develops other powers," I tried to smile down at her as best I could, "I will help you as much as I am able, and over time you will learn to control them."  
>She huffed softly and her eyes narrowed and she said, "what are my abilities going to be?"<p>

I paused, considering for a moment, what could her abilities be? Persephone had many, but Kate was not Persephone and she could have many others that I had never seen before. In the end I say softly, "I am not certain," I dig for a more complex answer and end up with, "the things Persephone could do will not necessarily transfer to you."

She looks down quickly and for a moment she looks pained. I tried to think back to what I had said that would upset her like that. It couldn't have been about Persephone, could it?

"What could she do?" Kate whispered, and then even softer she said, "could she see things?"

"Yes and her other abilities were much the same as my mine," I smiled faintly thinking that perhaps Kate could also have those abilities, perhaps I could show her how much I cared by helping her there. "She could travel. She also had a talent for telling a truth from a lie, and she could create, like all of us can."

Kate looks confused for a moment before whispering in bewilderment, "create?"

I held my hand out between us and tried to think of something that could mean something to Kate. With as light smile I conjured the little flower in my hand. With petals a pink quartz and small tiny cream pearls nestled between them. "For you," I whispered softly as I offered it to her. Her eyes widened in awe or perhaps it was gratitude at the gift. She took if delicately from my hand and examined it. Slowly she lifted it up to her nose and sniffed it. I almost laughed, but I kept that down, no use making her feel foolish.

"My brothers and sisters and I are much more powerful than our descendants," I smiled at her as she continued to look at the flower, "with each generation, the gifts grow less potent."

Kate looked mortified for a moment before timidly whispering, "do you- have kids?"

I blinked down at her, surely I mentioned somewhere that I didn't have any children, I must have. But the miserable look on Kate's face spoke millions. I hadn't mentioned it and, damn it, I just made it sound like I did. I composed myself quickly and whispered, "no, I do not."

Kate's face relaxed immensely and I breathed again, one less wall for her to break through, that is what Ava told me would help. Break down the walls for her, and she'd walk through them like they were only air.

"Do you-" she began carefully when she paused I nodded encouragingly and she swallowed quickly before whispering, "do you want to someday? A few decades or centuries from now?"

For a moment I was surprised by her comment, then I was elated, smiling softly down at her I said, "we will see how you feel then," quickly I added something that would probably have made James pleased, "I do not wish to saddle you with another responsibility you did not ask for. Now come, we must get you ready."  
>She stayed there, frozen it seemed, confusion written in her eyes. She looked up and said quickly, "you know I want this, right? No matter what anyone else has said-"<p>

"No one else has said a word about this to me," what was she playing at? Was she hiding something that had happened in Greece? I closed of my thoughts and whispered, "even your mother has respected my boundaries. For once," I said the past part under my breath, Diana had been oddly quiet the past six months, did she know something? "But this is the beginning of our rule together. We do not need to make these decisions right away."

Of course something had happened between Kate and James, how could I have been stupid enough to let myself be convinced of anything different? James always succeeded when I didn't, he succeeded in taking both of my wives now, wonderful, I hope he enjoyed them.

"Not when you think I might back out of it anyway, right?" She whispers as she grips the cloth tightly. I hesitate just slightly, she couldn't have possibly felt trapped like Persephone, I'd given her the six months, I kept a distance so she didn't feel tethered, what more could she want? "I am not you captor, if you wish to leave, you may."

She looked positively livid now as she snapped, "no, you're not my captor. You're my husband, do you want me to leave? Do you want to rule alone or-or fade or whatever will happen to you if I go?" She was worked up now, I could see it in her eyes, she was trying to pick a fight to get what she though was my true emotions. I looked at her calmly instead and replied, "I would like for you to give us both time to adjust to this. It is a new life for a both, and I wish to grow into it together rather than war. There is no need to rush. We have eternity."

She looked mortified again, like I'd shattered her. Of course I didn't want to wait, of course I wanted to press my lips to hers as hard I as possibly could without hurting her, and whisper that I loved her, but James, oh James always got in the way.

"Just tell me if you want me to be her or not, please." She sounded so desperate for something, anything. I lowered my head towards her, prepared to carry out my desires, but pulled back quickly just as she leaned close, I couldn't do it, bond her to myself and take freedom away. "What I want should never dictate what you do. I want you to be happy, as so long as you are content, I will be, as well."

As content as I could be that is. Kate was my last hope, my last try, and it had been dashed like water on rock once more. I moved past her and she followed deflated behind me. As I walk, I curse myself for not kissing her, for not trusting her, I couldn't do it again though, I couldn't do it though, I couldn't hope again. "I presume Ava showed you the closet? You may pick anything you wish to wear, though as the ceremony tonight is considered formal, something dressier than you may prefer would be more appropriate."

"Right," she whispers before looking up at me with those soft blue eyes and saying, "can I ask you something?"

My heart melted the tiniest bit at that look and I replied, "of course."

She paused, her mind working quickly and her mouth moved softly as she tried to figure out what it was. She deflated slightly and then whispered, "which dress do you prefer?"

I frowned slightly and looked her up and down, it was not what she wanted to ask, she had buried down the other thought. So I walked in and she followed me, softly she reached out and I felt her skin brush mine, just at that moment I reached for one of the gowns. It had been bad timing, I'd hadn't meant to pull away but when I glance at her out if the corner of my eye to see if she noticed, she looked sick.

"What about this one?" I covered quickly as I held up the gown for her to see. She chewed her lip for a moment before she obviously forced a smile and took the dress whispering, "that's nice."

Before she could move away, before I could reach out and touch her hand, apologize for everything and kiss her, the door into the room boomed open and James appeared in the doorway to the closet. He froze when he saw us standing there and then glancing at Kate he whispered in my mind,

_ so Ava was right, she isn't happy_

I glared at him until he said, "there's been another attack."

I stiffened, now? Right this very second? When I was going to make everything up to Kate, fix everything? Kate looked back and forth between the two of us, when her eyes meet mine she swallows heavily. I slip past her out of the closet, I'd just have to fix everything later.

"tell them to continue preparations for the ceremony," I relayed to Kate as I finished buttoning my shirt, "James and I will return before it starts."

She stared at me in horror before hissing, "you're going out again? After nearly bleeding to death?"

My lips form a tight line, of course I didn't, I wanted to stay with her, but I had a duty to preform and as much as she didn't want to hear that I said, "it is my duty. This will not take long."

"What if whatever hurts you this time makes things even worse?" She gasps as she moves towards me, I narrow eyes and reply flatly, "it won't, do as I say and do not worry about it. We will return shortly."

She huffed and glared at me. Before she could protest though, I imagined the gates and grabbed James mentally before blinking out of sight, and leaving Kate once more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Phew, fourth chapter now. I can't believe how long this took, my goodness. I stayed home from school today since I was sick and finished the chapter. I'm really enjoying this whole writing as Henry thing. He's such an interesting character, and I hope I'm portraying him right, since I would probably exile myself if ruined him. **

** Question for everyone, am I the only one who's still seriously obsessed with the Goddess Test? Yes? Oh, okay, I'll just go and hide in my corner then with my Goddess Test box set and poster...**

The moment we land a few meters away from the Gates, James is at it. Shouting about how I couldn't possibly be a worse husband leaving her like that, how I was absolutely ruining her; it wasn't anything I hadn't heard before, so I tuned him out and glanced around for Calliope and Cronus. "Furthermore, I'm surprised she's still sticking around, as if you haven't made it impossibly clear that you don't want her around-"

"Enough!" I shout as I flip around to face him. He cowers for a moment and I growl softly before whispering, "if you are so sure of these things, perhaps you may speak with her mother, I am sure Diana would be more than happy to speak with Kate about this."

James puckers his lips slightly and then says, "defensive much? It's just constructive criticism." I groan exapserated and turn to continue scanning the forest. From off the right a deer takes off and James snorts and says, "Man, Ingrid has the weirdest taste in animals."

"do you have anything constructive at all to say?" I growl under my breath as I begin towards the Gates. When we finally reach the clearing in front of them James glances around and then says, "I don't see Calliope or Cronus anywhere, must have been a false alarm."

"Thank you for stating the obvious James, perhaps you would like to make more observations for us." I hiss as I move toward the Gates and run my fingers against the softly, my hand sinks in and James' eyes widen in surprise until he says, "I thought the Gates were, more solid."

I snort and then pull my hand out, nothing felt wrong, they felt slightly weak, that was about it. Nothing to worry about of course, just slight deterioration. James watches me walk by him and as I do he says, "look, I don't want to butt in on you and Kate or anything, but-"

"Then why bother to if you don't desire to do so?" I glare at him and he puffs out his chest trying to match my stature and replies, "fine, I won't give you advice. It's not like I know how to make her happy or anything."

That punctured something. The dark, beaten part of me rose up in that second and took completely control. Of course, how could I be so blind? Kate was worried about James, she was worried that if I found out about something in Greece that I would hunt him down. Of course I wasn't planning that, but at the moment I very much wanted to push James through the Gates and let Calliope and Cronus having him. He glares at me and then with a gloating smile says, "What?"

I sigh and turn away only to reply, "nothing, we should hurry and get back, I do not want to keep the council waiting forever."

A soft peel of laughter sounds behind us and we both flip around in surprise to see Calliope standing there, behind her Cronus is swirling and billowing out from behind the Gates. James cries out in surprise and I step to the side to try and make myself less of a target. Of course James stands there dumbfound and unsure of what to do. A tendril of light snaps out and I pull James out of the way just in time for it to only snag his jacket. He gasps in shock as I practically throw him behind me and then maneuver myself into the open. As soon as I step from behind my tree, Calliope and the cloud are gone. I curse mentally and James pulls himself to his feet. He dusts off his jacket and then glances at the damage. With a groan he says, "dammit, I really like this one."

I glance at him for a moment only to roll my eyes in annoyance, yes, he was more worried about the jacket than the fact that he had almost died right there. He looks at me and then growls, "What? Fine, thanks for saving my life, I could have done it myself though!"

I narrow my eyes and under my breath hiss, "oh yes, and died while you tried to move your rooted feet." I started back towards the Gates and glanced them over once. The more Cronus seemed to stretch out, the weaker they became. James watches me for a moment before saying, "what are you going to do?"

"There is nothing that can be done." I reply as I pull away from the Gates and start away from them. James follows me at a slight jog and then says, "what are planning on telling Kate?"

"Nothing, she doesn't need to know right now. She needs to focus on the ceremony and what she is going to do there."

James snorts softly and then both he and I appear in a hallway of the palace. He glances around and then says, "I think we're late."

"Of course we are, sadly Walter has been informing me of such for the past few moments." He snorts again and then grumbling starts down the hallway. He turns the corner and I can hear Kate cry out in joy, I tense slightly in pain and then push it down. No use trying to show what pain it causes me. I turn the corner just in time to see Kate with her arms wrapped around James' neck and to hear her say, "you mean it didn't have anything to do with Calliope?"

I steal myself and swallow before reply for James, "it did."

James hears it first, the threat, the slight undertone of one that is. He lets go of Kate quickly and Kate glares at me slightly as she says, "Are you bleeding to death again?"

It bit, she was upset, very upset. Ava gives me a pitying glance over Kate's shoulder and James tries to hide his snicker. Kate watches me for a moment and I try to ignore her comment as best as possible as I say, "I am fine," nodding to the double doors behind her I say, "I will escort you in. We should not keep the council waiting."

I offer her my arm and she looks at it funny for a second before slipping her arm around it. She presses to my side and Ava gives me a smile and whispers in my mind.

_ see? She's like a little puppy, just needs some love and attention is all. _

James gives me a quickly look before ducking in after Ava. Kate kept glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. A few seconds later her grip on my arm tightens and she whispers, "whatever's going on with Calliope, I have a right to know."

"You do," i reply softly, I couldn't look at her, if I did I would lose it completely and never be able to walk through those doors, "I assure you. as soon as we get a moment, I will tell you everything." Mentally I add to myself that I will get her to tell me everything she knows. She looks annoyed for a second before saying, "we have a moment now," she looks pained then and continues, "it doesn't feel like you trust me or-or want me here, and I need to know that you do. And if you don't, then we don't have to do this." Her words are chocked and when I finally look at her I can see her eyes are starting to glisten, whether she knows it or not, I would go to the ends of the earth and do anything just so she would never cry again. I didn't want to push her into this whole thing though, if she wasn't ready, she wasn't ready. It wasn't like I was giving her much time exactly.

"If you don't want to," I begin only for her to stop me and cry desperately, "I do! I want to stay. I want to do this. I want to be with you. I don't know how to make that any clearer. But I need you to want it, too, okay? Please, just tell me you want me here so I can do this."

Of course I wanted her here, of course I wanted to wake up every morning and see her lying there, with her chest rising and falling with every steady breath and her eyelids fluttering with dreams. Of course I wanted to sit there and watch her get ready every morning and whenever we had an important family event. Of course I wanted to fall asleep every night with her curled up against me. Some things were not always meant to be though, dreams were just that, a wisp of smoke that turned into nothing when you opened your eyes. My silence must have been too long, because she turned away from the doors and took a step towards the hallway.I grabbed her hand tightly, and struggled to find the words to make her stay, so what if James had her during the summer? I got her during the winter, I could try, I could try, and I could give her everything I had never been able to give Persephone; I just needed time.

"Kate," I whispered her name like it were angelic and she looked at me softly as I whispered,"it has been a difficult day, and I am sorry for the worry I have put you through this afternoon. However, no matter how hard things become, no matter how much time it takes for both of us to adjust to this new life, never doubt that I want you here. You are capable and insightful, and you are better suited to stand beside me as my queen than any mortal I have ever known."

I believed every word I had just told her, I knew it was not enough though by the look in her eyes. She had wanted to hear that I loved her, but I wasn't sure about that yet. I wanted to believe it when I told her, I wanted it to come off my tongue like magic and make her smile so wonderfully that I could never conjure that smile again. She nods slightly and then whispers, "thank you," her voice trembled on the words and I wished in that second that I could make her happy. I hold her hand tightly and then slip it over my arm, she doesn't seem to notice and I push open the doors lightly to admit us.

As soon as we step into the judgement hall Kate's mouth drops open slightly and her eyes widen in awe. The silence was complete and I looked ahead slightly to see Diana standing with her hands clasped in front of her, smiling wildly at me and whispering in my head.

_I told you, everything will be alright, everything will be alright, nothing can take her from you Henry, only you can turn her away. She's all yours._

She wasn't all mine though, a few seats down from Diana was James watching Kate with a strange mixture of wonder and worry. Next to me I noticed that Kate hadn't breathed since we had entered the room. With a smile I leaned towards her ear and whispered, "remember to exhale."

She shivered as my breath touches her ear and then she seems to shake herself and she returned to consciousness. I turned us around and nodded to my brothers. Walter seemed to not be paying attention but Phillip nodded in response, a slight smile on his lips. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kate look at Diana, and then glance at James quickly. When I followed her eyes, I could see him slumped foreword slightly, with his arms crossed and his face scrunched up slightly. I let her have her a quickly glance around at the rest of the council before holding my hands up between the two of us. She looked confused and she hesitated as she went to put her hands over mine.

"Kate," she looks surprised for a moment at how my voice carries and I realize I forgot to tell her some of the other things I could do. She eventually hides this surprise and I say, "As my wife, you have consented to take up the responsibilities of the Queen of the Underworld. You shall rule fairly and without bias over the souls of those who have departed the world above, and from autumnal equinox to sprain go every year hence, you shall devote yourself to the task of guiding those who are lost and protecting all from harm beyond their eternal lives."

She looks slightly worried and in her eyes I can read every other emotion she's trying to hide, the worry, the frustration, and absolute confusion. I can't stop now though, stopping now would be admitting to the fact that I don't believe in her and I know if that happened, it would shatter Diana into a thousand pieces.

The warm light between our hands makes Kate shift her hands slightly, but I don't miss that she almost tried to pull away. I hoped it wasn't because she didn't want to do this, I hoped it was only surprise and fear at the power that radiated from the small space that our hands occupied. "Do you accept the role of Queen of the Underworld, and do you agree to uphold the responsibilities and expectations of such?"

In the moment that followed my final question, she hesitated. She looks up at me and the worry and fear are written there so clearly, so plainly that it takes all my effort not to pull away and tell her she doesn't have to do this. I give her a slight smile and her fear melts away slightly, but underneath all her other emotions I feel her uncertainty, uncertainty in me, in us, in everything I have ever said to her. My smile falls quickly, and inside of Kate's eyes, everything seems to crash down in a burning heap of destruction. I wanted to be inside of her head right then, I wanted to know what she was thinking, what was making her hesitate, what was causing this swirl of emotion under the surface?

She seemed to think for a few milliseconds before making up her mind it seems. She swallowed, and then with a slight smile on her lips, she opened her mouth to reply and I could almost see the word coming out of her mouth, her yes to everything, and all I wanted was for that word to come out and for me to finish the ceremony, because I'd made up my mind too. I was going to give her everything, I was going to stop shying away from her touch, I was going to listen to her when she spoke and I was going to tell her everything.

Before she could reply, the window behind us shattered, ruining the moment, ruining the smile on her face and the certainty we had both had in that moment. She covered her head instinctually and I looked straight up at the billowing cloud of Cronus that had broken free form the Gates.

She says something next to me, but before she can finish I pushed her behind me and she fell among the glass at our feet. Phillip and Walter were there in a second next to me and I heard Kate stumbling out of the glass shards. Ava appears next to her and starts to pull her away from the window. There's an exchange of words, and then Ava is dragging her down the aisle, the two of them struggle and Ava says in my head:

_I've got her Henry, she'll be okay. _

Cronus seemed to swell and Diana made a soft cry of fear and surprise, it had been so long since we, the original siblings, stood before our father when he had power. He swooped down and paused in front of me, I held him back mentally, but he wouldn't stay there forever though. Sure enough I could almost hear his laughter as he swelled up to strike one of us down. I held my hands up to hold him back and waited to see where I would have to stop him. It snapped out, but it didn't snap out at one of us.

Diana cried out and I flipped around to see him heading straight up the aisle after Kate and Ava. Kate shoved Ava behind a pillar and tried to follow her, only for the tendril to snap and catch her leg. Kate cried out in agony and Ava pulled her farther out of the way. Kate shouted something at her and when Ava didn't move, Kate shoved her toward the doors and stumbled up herself. I could feel Kate's agony in my own chest and in that moment as she ran for the safety of the hall behind the antechamber, I knew she wouldn't make it if Cronus attacked again. I shouted her name and Ava glanced over her shoulder to look at me. She seemed to come to life again and began to half drag half run Kate to the doors. I started down the aisle and James seemed to see what I was doing because he stepped next to me and held his hands up as well to help me block Cronus from taking off down the aisle again and after Kate and Ava.

James took a cut across his already cut arm and he set his feet and tried to hold the fog back as best he could. We wouldn't be able to hold him at the widow forever though, we had to get him to move somewhere that would be easier to contain him. I glanced at Walter and Phillip and they both nodded, having reached the same conclusion as me. They took steps forward with me and out of the corner of my eye I saw Dylan and Irene take a step forward as well, they couldn't follow us though. We would be able to handle this, we had to handle this. I held my hands up again and in a flash of power and energy we pushed Cronus out the window and followed him.

We landed before the Gates and began to force him back inside, but he was stronger now, and we were weak from overusing our abilities. Phillip stumbled first and in that instant Cronus had him and dragged him into the shadows of the Gates. He cried out and Walter took a step foreword and I tried to keep up with him, we may have been in my realm where I was strongest, but we were both weak in that moment. I tried to mentally pull Walter back, better to only let him capture one of us, not all three, but Walter was furious and he wasn't going to be able to be moved. His pride was going to get us both captured though, we couldn't leave Diana and Sophia to fight though, they wouldn't be able to do anything, the council would be in danger as well as the entire world. We needed to take this fight after we had rested slightly and recovered.

Walter glared at me openly and shook his head. I tried to take a step back, logic said to pull away and try to get away, to retreat, but Walter was not thinking logically right now.

Sure enough he stumbled and Cronus had him, pulling him into the shadows even though he was struggling. I stood there alone in that second, surprise and shock shaking me to my core. The cloud seemed to billow up again and he encircled me, but at a distance as if he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with me. To let me leave and tell the others he was coming to power again, or to capture me and hold me hostage as he was would likely hold Walter and Phillip.

Calliope seemed to appear in the fog and with a smile she looked me over but when she glanced around her smile fell and she growled, "Of course he didn't find her, just you."

I didn't have the strength to fight her, running was impossible, all I could do was try and stand my ground and hopefully I could keep Calliope busy. She looked me over and then with a sigh she said, "No matter, if she's as stupid as I think she is, she'll come looking for you."

With a laugh she turns and disappears back into the fog. I went to follow her only to take a step back and remain in the middle of the swirling fog. Slowly though, Cronus began to press closer to me and I prepared myself to try and fight him again. With a dark rumbling laugh, he wrapped around me completely and blocking out my sight, he pulled me into the shadows and through the Gates.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, I'm so sorry about the lack of updates, but lately my teachers have been pretty much slamming me with homework. I've been trying to work on Goddess Returning in small increments, but it's not really working out. Right now the chapter's about half way done and I have a long way to go. So don't expect an update until late May. I feel terrible, since I know i kept join off about how I was going to update more and more consistently, but my homework load has literally tripled since March. Sorry, I know some people are waiting for this and I feel bad that I won't be able to update for a while. Hope you guys can forgive me... ): 


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